Central Region appeals for extension of NIA registration

Scores of prospective registrants for the Ghana Card in the Cape Coast Metropolis have appealed to the National Identification Authority (NIA) to extend the registration period to allow more people to get registered.

According to them, many people may not be able to register due to the increasing number of prospective applicants amidst limited registration centres and frequent breakdown of machines.

The exercise, which begun on Monday, January 27 and expected to end on Tuesday, February 18, sought to register all citizens in the Region.

It is being done concurrently in Western and Western North Regions.

At some of the centres visited on Friday, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that the exercise was not started on time, but closed with the least provocation by some registrants.

That resulted in the long-winding queues with many people waiting anxiously for hours.

At Victoria Park registration centre, the GNA observed that many people did not know the mandated requirements needed for the registration joined the queue for hours only to be told “you do not have the needed requirements.”

The GNA observed that some of the centers registered not more than 150 people in a day with varied reasons and announcements such as: “We are sorry to inform you that registration has ended for today. Our machines cannot register more than 150 people per day….you may return tomorrow.”

At St. Michael school’s opposite the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), a female official of the NIA told the GNA, the exercise was relatively peaceful and smooth regardless of the long queues, but assured that they were equal to the task.

The situation was not different at the Kotokoraba police station Centre, where an official confirmed they registered nearly 2,000, yet the number of unregistered persons were huge and rising.

At most of the Centres visited, officials gave preferential treatment to the aged who were 60 years and above, while the police and other volunteers were coordinating to ensure sanity.

However, some registrants including; Madam Adade from Moree who spent two days at a Centre complained of extortions by some officials.

At Castle registration centre, the GNA noticed long queue with people waiting in the scorching sun as they struggled amidst intermittent confusion and arguments among themselves and officials.

Maame Araba Atta, in an interview with the GNA said they were in the queue since 0230, but were not attended to as at 0945 hours.

Mrs Agnes Baidoo complained about the slow pace with which registration was going saying “their services are now slow”.

Mr Isaac Bentum said some were there from the previous day and slept over till the next day, but as of 1000 hours, they were still in the queue.

Source: GNA